Paintballs or BB's?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I had a dog up to about five years ago and I never had this problem with him getting out. Never. He liked to dig, but he never dug under the fence or tried to leave his yard. But then, he was fixed, too, so that's probably a factor. He practically excavated the foundation of my deck single handedly, but that was his yard and he was my dog and he had permission.

Animal Control dude came out this morning and brought me a trap. He suspects intact females somewhere because of the "pack" incident.

Here's a fucked up cherry for this shit sunday: He told me this morning that there was a dark, brindled colored pit with sawed down teeth running loose in the area. This MIGHT be what I saw out back, the color description matches as does the size. When I said "sawed down teeth?" he said "Yeah. Bait dog for dog fighting."

Can you even fucking imagine? Now I just want to help catch it so someone can be put down in a humane fashion. This situation just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?

[Andara Bledin]

Oh, god. I hope those dog fighting fuckers get torn apart by their own animals. And that would be too good for them.

^-.-^

[Sarah Valentine]

Oh, god. I hope those dog fighting fuckers get torn apart by their own animals. And that would be too good for them.

^-.-^

I second that completely.

[telecom_goddess]

I second that completely.

And I third it...yeah it's just getting crazy.

[BlaqueKatt]

Oh, god. I hope those dog fighting fuckers get torn apart by their own animals.

Problem is fighting dogs are "dog aggressive" not human aggressive, so they will not attack their handlers, if they do become human aggressive they are either killed(non-humanely), or used as bait dogs. Second if the fighting dogs are caught there is a chance they can be rehabilitated, if they attack a human, it's an automatic death sentence, and not necessarily by animal control.

If the dogs are taken by animal control they have to be held as "evidence" until trial, normally at the local animal shelter, thus taking space from other adoptable animals, and causing animals that have a possibility of finding a home to be euthanized.

We had a case like that here in Madison, 52 dogs, the funds to care for them came from the local shelter NOT from the state(over $200,000), so they took resources as well. All the dogs were euthanized about a year later(save for 9 that were returned to the owner), and during that year dozens of adoptable dogs were put down due to lack of space, space taken by dogs that were as good as dead anyway.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

So, here's an update. I am chronicling all this because I figure there are some people out there who might be reading this who figure the dog catcher is a bad guy, wonder why neighbors are intolerant of other people's animals, and can't understand why pets should not be allowed to roam.

Caught a very nice cat in the trap. MIGHT be the same cat I paintballed. In fact, it's likely. No collar, seeming good temperament. Scrawny, uncared for. Had the AC dude come back out to my place again to pick it up. Which I hated. HATED. Cat's gonna get put down next week if his shitty excuses for owners don't go pick him up, which they likely won't think to do. Caught it first night I set the trap. Dog trap has so far not caught anything.

I would like to tell you that I had finches AND robins under my deck (my deck is something like fifty feet long. It's a piece of shit, but wildlife likes it.), presumably nesting. Pretty sure they are as gone as the cardinal babies are.

The amount of psyching up I had to do just to call the guy to come get the damn cat was ridiculous. I've been drinking heavier than usual of late. Had trouble sleeping last night thinking about how it feels to me when a pet goes missing.

I'm sure a lot of you think I hate animals.

Anyways, me and AC dude are becoming familiar and chatty. He's a very nice man and he told me a few things.

He told me the AC officers work on two week shifts because it keeps their stress levels at a manageable level. Seeing animals uncared for, seeing them put down, seeing how MASSIVE the problem is eroding to one's morale. There is a big sign in the AC place that reminds the workers there that this problem is NOT one they made or is their fault. He told me he has to constantly tell himself that if they do have to put down an animal, it's better than the slow starvation, illness, death by car, death by ill health, and abuse they otherwise have to endure.

I told him I have to tell myself that, too. That cat that bit me two years ago had a litter of kittens. Cats can reproduce at an astounding rate. She was half starved, too.

I think he could tell I was on the verge of crying. I was, unfortunately, stone cold sober. He could tell I needed something to harden me back up and quick. So he said "Listen, you have a daughter, and if you need any more convincing about this, I know a little girl who picked up a bug in a sandbox where cats had used as a toilet who was really, really sick for a long time and almost lost her eyesight." (I looked it up on google and I'm assuming he meant toxoplasmosis.)

I just looked at him and said "Thanks. Really. I need to remember that."

And he said "I think about that every day. It helps. Don't forget it."

You know what? People fucking suck. How awesome would it be if we could just round up the people who make this problem for us and eliminate THEM?

[Andara Bledin]

I'd bet cash that the cat was abandoned by some idiot city-dweller who thought that if they abandoned their former pet somewhere "wild like" that it would be ok. You know, as opposed to, say, actually taking care of their responsibilities as a pet owner and either finding a new home or handing it off to a shelter on their own.

I don't suppose there are any cat rescue programs near you that you could hand the ones that are obviously uncared for pets (if a cat is scrawny, then whoever owned it has lost any claim as far as I'm concerned) over to?

^-.-^

[telecom_goddess]

For what it's worth I don't think you hate animals at all...it's obvious that this is eating you up inside.

If you have alcohol share with me wouldja?

[AdminAssistant]

I don't think you hate animals. You're actually doing animals a kindness. Not only will this cat not be able to reproduce, but it also won't be out spreading disease to other cats and people. I hate to say it, because I don't wanna be lynched by the pet lovers here, but stray/feral cats and dogs are just as much of a pest as mice and rats. They do injury to other animals, people, and property. You're doing a good thing, RK.

[ExRetailDrone]

I'm an avid animal lover, but that doesn't mean that I can't see how much harm stray/feral animals are capable of. I don't like thinking about it, because it makes me want to cry (as well as track down all these worthless, good-for-nothing pet 'owners' and treat them the same way they treat their pets )

I can see how much this is affecting you, RK, and I'm sorry that you have to deal with the irresponsibility of others It's not fair to you, but you have to do what you have to do in order to protect your family.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Thanks, guys.

Caught another one today, this one apparently feral. Again, may be the paintball cat...same size and color. Probably all from the same stock, really.

So, I set the trap in the evening and catch one hours later. AC guy picks up that one, I set it again, and again, catch one hours later. AC guy comes BACK out and gets that one.

Taking the weekend off with it, they don't pick up on the weekends and I don't want to have to deal with an animal in a cage in this kind of heat (over a hundred with the humidity through the roof) all weekend. That just would not be humane.

[insertNameHere]

Um, at the rate your going, wonder if they could spare a second cage to cut down on the trips. It sounds like there are A LOT of cats running around

[KabeRinnaul]

Might be a bit late for this, considering you got the paintball gun (and the last post was a few days ago), but another option for dogs that attack or menace you when out of your yard (like on a walk or something) is mace or pepper spray. They make a special "dog repellent spray", but I think any kind works pretty much the same, not that I'm an expert or anything.

[insertNameHere]

I think distance is also an issue, pepper spray you pretty much have to have the dog on top of you and hope that their is no wind.

[jackfaire]

Yeah at a house I was living in during high school my dog got into a fight with the neighbor's dog who dug his way into my yard and attacked my dog who was defending his rightful territory. I had to pull my dog out of the fight and got bitten by my dog in the process while telling the other dog to get.

The neighbor then told me I was lucky I hadn't hurt his dog or he would have sued me.

Go with paintballs. Might sting but unlike BBs not likely to be any level of penetration thus avoiding the risk of infection.